Meet Rachael Clark

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Clark. Rachael was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Morgan Kuchynka.

Rachael , can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hi, I’m Rachael. I’m the mom of three awesome kiddos, Rowan 10, Auden 8 and Porter 6.

Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
I’m a registered nurse and have worked for 15 years at Children’s Mercy’s NICU in downtown KC. I have held a number of positions in my unit but always working nights. I love the population we serve and love my coworkers just as much. You have to have a solid team to get through the hard experiences we go through and I’m fortunate to work with the best.

Pinnacle Gymnastics has been a great friend to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Pinnacle Gymnastics and your experience with them.
We came to Pinnacle at first looking for an introductory gymnastics class for my 4 yr old, Rowan, but what we found was a community worth sticking around for.

While my oldest daughter continued gymnastics, we enrolled my second daughter, Audie, in their Gym and Learn program, now known as ELT. She has sensory processing disorder and traditional preschool was not going to be a great fit for her. She needed to learn by interacting with her environment and that’s what Pinnacle gave her. They would match lower case letters by walking across the balance beam to find the upper case match. They jumped into the foam pits, did yoga and sang songs memorizing their facts out on the main gym floor. My daughter thrived with this unique approach to teaching. Pinnacle had monthly themes going at that time that centered around building the athlete’s self esteem and confidence that translated into her classroom as well. We had such a good experience that we enrolled our son in the program as well. Every teacher and coach we’ve interacted with has been someone who will encourage my kids and help them find their strengths.

Rowan fell in love with the sport and continued on to join their competitive team. They have made her gymnastics experience one that recognizes the commitment and dedication it takes to succeed while preserving the joy she experiences everytime she steps into the gym. Audie has participated in their recreational program every since graduating from ELT and was able to transition her skills in the classroom to a successful kindergarten year and in the gym to being a solid gymnast. We have also signed our kids up for many camps and clinics on their off days of school. Being run by their favorite coaches, it is always a highlight of their breaks or long weekends to come into the gym.

Pinnacle has shown us time and again how it prioritizes mental health, teamwork, safety and creating balance with gymnastics and the rest of your life. We are so grateful we landed here and our kids have coaches who continue speak empowering messages into their lives!

Image Credits
Rowan w coaches Emily, Ryanne, Kim